Page 66 of See You Next Month

Isabella watched as Kelsey mulled over her idea. Isabella was the more spontaneous one and she’d come to love this contemplative part of Kelsey. She’d furrow her brow with concentration and then a smile would play across her lips. Isabella waited and kept looking for the smile.

“Well?” she finally asked.

“I think that might work. Do we get a straight couple and a gay couple?” Kelsey mused.

“We could.” Isabella nodded. “Young or old?”

“Hmm.” Kelsey stared at her.

“There’s so many things to consider,” Isabella said. “All because I like to dance with you.”

Kelsey shrugged. “I like dancing with you, too.”

Isabella smiled. That was a relief. She felt like there was something else going on between them. Something had shifted and Isabella wasn’t sure what it was.

“Are we okay?” she asked Kelsey. At that moment Isabella had such a strong desire to reach for Kelsey. She wanted to hold her in her arms the way they did when they were dancing. That’s where nothing else mattered and when she’d been the happiest during both of their trips to the Virgin Islands. This realization stunned Isabella, but also amazed her. My God, am I attracted to Kelsey?

Kelsey smiled. “Yeah, Bella. We’re okay,” she replied.

Isabella couldn’t tear her eyes away from Kelsey’s. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest and she couldn’t breathe. Isabella leaned over and slid her arms around Kelsey’s shoulders, pulling her into a hug.

She felt Kelsey’s arms tighten across her back and for a moment they stayed that way. Isabella closed her eyes and let Kelsey’s warmth surround her. She could feel Kelsey’s hot breath against her bare shoulder along with other sensations she hadn’t felt since before her divorce.

A sudden feeling of panic raced through Isabella and she pulled away. “Sorry,” she said breathlessly.

Kelsey scoffed. “For what? Giving me a much needed hug after I made things weird?”

Isabella tilted her head. “You didn’t make things weird.”

She could see the relief on Kelsey’s face and was so confused. Her thoughts flew back to Peaches when she was dancing with the other woman. It was fun at first, but then Isabella didn’t know what she’d do if the next song was a slow song. Kelsey was the only woman she wanted to dance close with. When her eyes met Kelsey’s it was as if she knew the distress Isabella was feeling and came to her rescue. Isabella’s fears were gone when Kelsey’s arms went around her and the music began to play.

“I’ve heard that song we danced to at Christmas,” Isabella said, not sure where the comment came from.

“I have too and I thought about you every time,” Kelsey said with a smile.

Isabella studied Kelsey for a moment. “I think dancing to that song is how we should end our monthly trips. It’s just for us, no one else.”

Kelsey narrowed her gaze then smiled. “I like that idea. Let’s go.”

Isabella gathered their things and they walked to the elevator. It had been a strange end to their evening, but holding Kelsey and being in her arms would hopefully bring them back to their easy, laid-back friendship. She had all month to figure out these feelings for Kelsey she was suddenly very aware of. Every time she looked at Kelsey she couldn’t help but wonder what she was thinking.

They got off the elevator and Kelsey caught Isabella staring at her once again. She had made things weird between them even though Isabella said she hadn’t. But Kelsey was just thinking about the resort and the job they had to do, wasn’t she? Oh, who was she kidding. She needed to put some distance between her and Isabella until she could get her emotions in check, yet the idea of saying goodbye to her tomorrow was already leaving a hole in her heart.

“Let me change out of my swimsuit and I’ll be over in a minute,” Isabella said, stopping at her door.

“Okay. I have enough wine left for each of us to have a glass,” Kelsey said, unlocking her door.

She quickly changed and poured the rest of the wine into two glasses. Kelsey took a sip then looked into the mirror next to the door.

Her thoughts had been all over the place since they’d left Peaches. Do I have feelings for Isabella? Does she have feelings for me? What is really going on between us? Does it matter? Would it ruin this friendship? Do we have a future?

“Stop!” she said to her reflection. Isabella. Just the thought of her made Kelsey smile. “Forget about all of this and enjoy the rest of the trip,” she said quietly.

A knock at the door brought Kelsey’s attention away from all the doubts and thoughts running through her head.

“Hey,” she said with a smile as she opened the door for Isabella.

“Were you talking to someone?” Isabella asked.

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